Flame Resistant Laboratory Coat – Information

Oversight

Lab Coats that are not 100% cotton are a hazard.   The committee has evaluated flame-retardant lab coats.  The only downside – even though they repel flames they produce noxious gas, but they to provide much more protection. (The noxious odor is an incentive to get the coat off!)  –2009 April 16 Department of Chemistry Safety Committee

Excel FR Lab Coats provide and represent the minimum requirement for general lab protection in chemistry research labs. Some research may require more specific protection, but these lab coats are a good starting point for Personal Protective Equipment to cover clothing.

Why do we need Flame-Resistant Labcoats?

Kemsley, Jyllian N. Learning From UCLA, Details of the experiment that led to a researcher’s death prompt evaluations of academic safety practices c&en Chemical & Engineering News. https://cen.acs.org/articles/87/i31/Learning-UCLA.html. August 3, 2009 (A version of this story appeared in Volume 87, Issue 31)

How do Flame-Resistant fabrics work?

Flame-resistant (FR) fabrics and garments are intended to resist ignition, prevent the spread of flames away from the immediate area of high heat impingement, and to self-extinguish almost immediately upon removal of the ignition source.

Normal work apparel will ignite and continue to burn if exposed to an ignition source such as flame or electric arc. Everyday fabrics will continue to burn until they are extinguished or all flammable material is consumed (Frequently Asked Questions).

Purchasing/Ordering

These Lab Coats are available in the DSS – Stockroom, and from Scientific Material Suppliers via the PantherExpress System.

It is important to say blue flame-resistant lab coats (Excel FR from Bulwarks) because there are other lab coats as well as blue disposable lab coats.  

“These garments should not be worn where contact with strong oxidizers (e.g., >10% sodium hypochlorite, NaOCl) or reducing agents (e.g., sodium hydrosulfite, NaS2O4) is a consideration.”  — https://www.bulwark.com

Manufacturer Information / Cleaning

Please see the links for information about cleaning the flame-resistant material.

If garments become contaminated with flammable substances, they should be removed immediately and replaced with clean flame-resistant apparel. Either home or industrial laundering may successfully remove most types of both flammable and non-flammable soils. However, home laundry detergents may not successfully remove some types of soil found in industry, especially heavy greases and oily soils. If flammable soils are not completely removed, the flame resistance of the garment may be compromised.

Flammable materials are for the most part volatile substances that dissipate into the atmosphere, for example, gasoline. Stains remaining after laundering on the other hand are either unremoved contaminants or, more likely, simply discoloration of the fabric.

It may be difficult to determine that flammable soils have been completely removed, but indicators would include the presence of stains and/or odors after laundering. However, staining alone is not an indication that the soil has not been adequately removed. If it appears that the garments may still be contaminated after home wash, laundering at a local commercial or industrial laundry may be required. Dry cleaning may be used to remove oils and greases. Finally, if questions remain, Bulwark will conduct flame-resistant testing of the garment in question to determine its flame resistance. Please be aware that this is a destructive test and the garment will be destroyed (Frequently Asked Questions).

One University of Pittsburgh laundry service provider:

DUDS ‘N SUDS

Fulfillment Address: 6346 Monitor St, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Areas served: Pittsburgh
Hours: 8 a.m. – 5  p.m.
Phone: (412) 681-1636

This company has the lab coats dry cleaned and pressed.

Process

Call Duds ‘n Suds at (412) 681-1636)
Ask for the costs for
a.) the pickup/delivery fee and
b.) the lab coat cleaning costs.

Next, click here to use the Chemistry Department Purchasing online form.

Then you can Duds ‘n Suds call again with the PO# to arrange the pickup from the Chevron dock plus, give your telephone number to be contacted when your labcoat is returned.

 

There is always room for improvement, and the blue flame-resistant lab coats are good for most research purposes in chemistry.

Works Cited

Frequently Asked Questions. Bulwark Protection. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023. https://www.bulwark.com/faq.html